White House warns Congress on jobs bill, but …

posted at 10:05 am on October 11, 2011 by Ed Morrissey

David Axelrod’s out doing the hard sell on Barack Obama’s jobs bill — and by “hard sell,” I mean approaching it with all of the honesty of your average used-car salesman pitching the last AMC Gremlin in existence. ABC’s Devin Dwyer reports on Axelrod’s pressure on Congress to pass the bill:

As President Obama’s jobs bill heads toward its first test vote in the Senate, senior Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod says that members of Congress who oppose the measure willingly defy a majority of American voters.

“Since introducing the American Jobs Act, the American people have rallied around President Obama’s call for Congress to pass this plan,” Axelrod wrote in a memo to “interested parties” distributed by the campaign Monday night. “The more people know about the American Jobs Act; the more they hear the President talking about it; the more they want Congress to pass the plan.”

Axelrod cites recent polling data to argue that support for the bill has gained momentum over the past month, ratcheting up pressure on members — including Democrats — some of whom seem prepared to vote “no.”

ABC notes that a slim majority in the last WaPo/ABC poll — you know, that poll series with significantly bad sampling — supported Obama’s jobs plan. Of course, ever since he introduced the $447 billion copy of Porkulus I, Obama’s approval ratings have slid downward, especially on the economy. Thanks in part to his switch to class warfare rhetoric, Gallup’s September rating for Obama tied the worst monthly rating of his presidency … which came in August. The new rating set featured a 30% approval rating from independents.

Democratic leaders in the Senate are scrambling to avoid defections on President Obama’s jobs package, which appears headed for defeat on Tuesday.

A lack of Democratic unity on the president’s bill would be embarrassing for the White House, which has been scolding House Republicans for refusing to vote on the measure.

Democrats had to rewrite the bill to move the tax hikes from $250K annual income to $1 million in order to please Chuck Schumer, who pointed out that $250K in annual income for New York City families is the equivalent of a cop married to a nurse. That still doesn’t have all Democrats on board, though:

Despite the changes, the legislation still does not enjoy the support of all 53 senators who caucus with the Democrats. A handful of Democrats are undecided or leaning no on the bill.

Democrats who will vote no or are leaning no include Sens. Joe Manchin (W.Va.), Jon Tester (Mont.) and Ben Nelson (Neb.), who all hail from red states and are up for reelection next year.

That’s probably not the full list, either. Claire McCaskill in Missouri won’t want to go back to her constituents and explain how she voted to spend another $447 billion on the same kind of government interventions that produced a chronic 9% unemployment rate and busts like Solyndra. Bill Nelson in Florida might have a problem with that as well. Bob Casey in Pennsylvania has already stated publicly that the bill should be broken up into its component parts for separate votes rather than addressed as a comprehensive package to eliminate the parts that won’t work. They may not get 45 votes by the time those members up for election in 2012 get around to casting a vote on the AJA.

Instead of lecturing Republicans, perhaps Axelrod should start listening to those Democrats who have to face voters next year.

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David Axelrod’s out doing the hard sell on Barack Obama’s jobs bill — and by “hard sell,” I mean approaching it with all of the honesty of your average used-car salesman pitching the last AMC Gremlin in existence.

Didn’t DeNiro play a used car salesman in Goodfellas with Ray Liotta? I think he was a Cadillac sales guy and he had a skeptical customer over some car (don’t know if it got 130mpg or not) but that’s besides the point. DeNiro pushed the guys head into the car and said “You’re gonna buy this *&[email protected] car or Im gonna bash your head in”….

I was awoken this morning to a news blurb on a local FM radio station concerning the upcoming vote on the, “Pass This Bill Now!” act. According to the news reader the bill is expected to not pass the Senate because Republicans oppose it………………………….

And this person really is nothing but a news reader since it is a local music station. She just reads what is put in front of her. The built in bias in the system is astounding to say the least.

I was awoken this morning to a news blurb on a local FM radio station concerning the upcoming vote on the, “Pass This Bill Now!” act. According to the news reader the bill is expected to not pass the Senate because Republicans oppose it………………………….

And this person really is nothing but a news reader since it is a local music station. She just reads what is put in front of her. The built in bias in the system is astounding to say the least.

NotCoach on October 11, 2011 at 10:17 AM

True, but when it fails – the Dems who didnt vote “yeah” – will be uncovered to everyone, of which it is already known internally for Bambi – hence Axelstooge making useless comments about “doing their jobs”

The WH – namely Axelrod – know damn well how bad this admin is flailing and how poor this “Jobs Bill” is in content and ability to get passed… zero. So the useful Rep boogeyman is brought out – yet internally – they are freaking out and know there is zero chance of flipping Dems as had been done in past bills, votes, policy issues, etc. Zero.

Rememeber Presidet Dope told everyone they had to do something “NOW!!!”… which was over 4 weeks ago – after a long recess.

I was awoken this morning to a news blurb on a local FM radio station concerning the upcoming vote on the, “Pass This Bill Now!” act. According to the news reader the bill is expected to not pass the Senate because Republicans oppose it………………………….

And this person really is nothing but a news reader since it is a local music station. She just reads what is put in front of her. The built in bias in the system is astounding to say the least.

NotCoach on October 11, 2011 at 10:17 AM

I’ve heard that kind of stuff before on my local TV and radio news. That’s why I stopped paying attention to them a long time ago.

Funny that once it was pointed out that many, many government employees, not to mention union executives, pull down six-figure incomes (and the number jumped astronomically in the last two years), suddenly these $250 K folks are now deemed to be paying their “fare share.”

Funny that once it was pointed out that many, many government employees, not to mention union executives, pull down six-figure incomes (and the number jumped astronomically in the last two years), suddenly these $250 K folks are now deemed to be paying their “fare share.”

I talked to a doctor friend this morning about the Jobs bill and the OWS hippie gathering. He thinks the protest is legitimate because people should be paid a higher living wage (without any thought of how it would affect the economy), and he blames the “obstructionist Republicans” who only represent the 15% of the country that is the Tea Party.

Rush said from before the speeches began that Obama was only looking at making a Jobs Bill that Republicans wouldn’t pass so that he could run against the Republican party for not passing it. After all, he can’t run on his record.

Now the Dems are against it as well, and they are pretending that it is only the Republicans, lol. These people are such fools.

Now the Dems are against it as well, and they are pretending that it is only the Republicans, lol. These people are such fools.

jeffn21 on October 11, 2011 at 10:42 AM

…and the MSM is duly reporting the same. So, for the average clueless voter propaganda is reality, ergo Republicans hate the unemployed and working class and you must vote them out of office and give control back to the Dems who desperately wanted to pass the bill.

As long as the typical voter is susceptible to the lies of Obama and Axelrod, the White House has a win either way the voting on the bill goes.

As President Obama’s jobs bill heads toward its first test vote in the Senate, senior Obama campaign strategist David Axelrod says that members of Congress who oppose the measure willingly defy a majority of American voters.

Hmmm…those Senators up for re-election next year wouldn’t want to willingly defy a majority of their states’ voters, would they? Wonder what they’re hearing back home…

The senate dems are more worried about their own jobs to give a fig about your candidate, Mr. Axelrod. If the Won’s first crap sandwich didn’t get the job done, why do you want us to think that a half a crap sandwich will fix the economy.

Axelrod cites recent polling data to argue that support for the bill has gained momentum over the past month, ratcheting up pressure on members — including Democrats — some of whom seem prepared to vote “no.”

After introducing his jobs bill in his delayed speech (remember he originally tried to trump the first GOP debate) on Thursday September 8, he produced a printed copy on September 14. The CBO scored the AJA on October 5. It has no bill number because no one will sponor it and is officially referred to as House Document 112-53. What momentum is he talking about?